City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.1% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $108,100 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Columbus, OH to Trenton, NJ ($111,065 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,077 in Trenton | $92,527 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
45 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Columbus → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $72,737 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $88,005 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $105,481 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $125,431 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $148,222 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $77,850 | $72,032 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $128,770 | $119,147 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $99,550 | $92,110 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $99,990 | $92,517 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.